Anti-submarine warfare is a multilayered operation involving all elements ranging from the air, surface to the sub-surface domains. India’s dwindling anti-submarine infrastructure has been well-documented but there is little to show that any large-scale rectification is underway.

From insufficient numbers of conventional hunter-killer submarines and surface fighting ships bereft of even the required number of anti-submarine warfare helicopters with vacant hangar space on board, to the still-to-arrive naval nuclear deterrent INS Arihant there are wide gaps in India’s maritime defence posture.

Indigenous production

It is undoubtedly a supreme achievement that most of the surface vessels required for maritime security are now being built in Indian shipbuilding yards and the Indian Navy has to be congratulated for being forward-looking enough to achieve this measure of self-sufficiency while the other two Services are floundering about in license-produced self-reli